Edwards, Rev. Jonathan.  "An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of
Washington."  San Francisco: W. H. Lever, 1900.  p. 623.
 
ROBERT ABERNETHY

     a pioneer of 1883, is a native of London, Ontario, born January 31, 1848.
He received the advantage of their excellent public schools, and when seventeen
years old went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he learned the trade of a
tinsmith.  In 1868 he removed to California, where for the ensuing ten years he
followed his handicraft continuously. He next went to Santa Barbara county and
organized a company for the purpose of building a wharf at Point Morritto. He
was engaged in managing this wharf and in the lumber business until 1881, when
he came to Portland and resumed the pursuit of his trade. After spending two
years there, he came to Spokane, engaging in the same occupation here, also in
cornice work and in plumbing. In 1888 he left the shop and turned his attention
to real-estate brokerage and mining. He is now interested in a number of the
leading claims, but more especially in the Montana, being president of the
company to which that mine belongs. He also owns a large amount of real estate
in this city, and has erected a number of dwelling houses here. Mr. Abernethy
has long been one of Spokane's most valued citizens, contributing to its
prosperity by his own enterprise, and donating liberally to undertakings of a
public or semi-public nature. During the years 1891, '92 and '93 he was an
influential member of the board of education. In 1890 he was the candidate of
the Prohibition party for congress, and in 1892 he served as city assessor of
Spokane. Fraternally, he is a member of Spokane Lodge, No. 34. F. & A. M., and
has been a prominent Good Templar, having at one time served as grand chief
templar of the state. He was married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. in September,
1871, to Miss Mary R. Owen, a native of that state. They have three children :
Lulu, now the wife of Rev. Ray C. Harker, of Appleton, Wisconsin; Elmer,
attending a mining school at Golden, Colorado, and Flossie, a student in the
Spokane high school. Their older daughter, Mrs. Harker, is a graduate of the
Northwestern University, and took first prize in her class there as an
elocutionist.
 
 
Transcriber's additional notes:
 
from this same book:
 
page 130; The High School; Under the superintendency of Prof. Bemiss genuine
harmony existed in the board of education, and his efforts to improve conditions
were heartily approved. Robert Abernethy, as president of the board, in his
report for 1892, says: "We have reason to feel proud of the schools of our city,
and what they are accomplishing. Our corps of teachers are doing good work, and
cannot be excelled by a like number anywhere. Superintendent Bemiss is up with
the times, and has placed our educational course in the front rank where it
keeps pace with all modern improvements in the line of education." It is also
pleasant to note that the superintendent was always ready to give due credit to
the teachers, as in the 1892 report:  "The teachers have been faithful to the
trusts assumed, and have worked with a will to secure the best results
possible. "The improved tone of the school room, the increase in attendance on
the number enrolled, and the higher grade of scholarship secured attest the
efficiency of their work.   "The ability to interest and instruct, to furnish
the right kind of aid at the proper time, to lead the pupil to master his own
difficulties, to awaken a desire for better and higher attainments, is the mark
of the competent workman. "That a good degree of success in the above lines has
been attained, is evidenced by the character of the work developed and placed on
exhibition in the different school buildings, and by the increased interest
manifested by the patrons of the school."
 
page 185; Good Templars; The Independent Order of Good Templars can be counted
among the early organizations of Spokane.  The first lodge, 'Northern Light,"
came into existence in 1884, the prime movers being Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Abernethy, M. H. Whitehouse, Reever brothers and others.  Meetings were held at
first in the Methodist Episcopal church, corner of Sprague avenue and Washington
street.  It soon became a flourishing society and among its members were a
considerable number of bright young men and women, some of them today prominent
citizens of this and other cities.


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Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in April 2007 by Diana Smith.  Unless
otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured
in this biography.